Alumni and friends of William Jewell College will gather at 11 a.m. Saturday, October 10 for a ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony at the new Dianne C. Shumaker Hall Sorority Houses and Greek Commons on the campus in Liberty, Mo. The ribbon-cutting for the new $13.5 million residential complex is the focal point of the College’s Homecoming activities. Shumaker Hall is located at the intersection of R.E. Bowles Drive and Doniphan Street, just northwest of the Mabee Center for Physical Education.

“The creation of the new Dianne C. Shumaker Hall Sorority Houses & Greek Commons brought together current students, sorority alumni and friends of Jewell for all phases, from building conception and fundraising to the final design details,” said Dr. Chad Jolly, vice president for advancement at William Jewell. “The result of this collaborative effort is a home that promises to enrich the living and learning experience for students at the College for decades to come.”

Shumaker Hall is a modern, open building designed with a community focus for residents and as a focal point for Greek life on campus. The College named the building in honor of Dianne Jeter Shumaker, a 1966 alumna, in recognition of her ongoing leadership and support of William Jewell.

A two-story foyer and social lounge serves as a welcoming entrance for each of the four sorority houses. Individualized for each sorority, foyers were decorated with input from current students and alumni along with the advice of a design team from Nell Hill’s. Tiled entrances, open staircases leading to the second floor and wooden furniture with engraved sorority crests are a few of the special touches that make the foyers an inviting spot to host alumni events and welcome guests. Suite-style residence rooms are shared by two women. The bathrooms, with tiled floors and showers, double sinks and windows, accommodate two suites.

A centrally located Greek Commons joins the four houses and offers a warm welcome to the complex for all Greeks, alumni and friends. A multipurpose room, equipped with presentation screens and tables and chairs, is a versatile space for campus and community groups of up to 160 people. The floor-to-ceiling windows and the adjacent outdoor brick terrace provide a gathering spot for students and for hosting events. Women share four study lounges throughout the complex, designed for different needs such as conference style meetings, art and design projects and quiet study time. In the fitness center, residents have access to modern workout equipment including free weights, treadmills and ellipticals with television monitors.

Unlike previous sorority housing, Shumaker Hall features chapter rooms large enough to accommodate meetings and rituals. With aesthetic details such as floor-to-ceiling windows combined with flat screen TVs, chapter rooms are an ideal venue for sorority members to gather for everything from formal presentations to movie nights. Fully-equipped kitchens also are a new convenience for sorority women, with one in each house.